Sovereign Wealth Funds: A Concise Guide to State-Owned Investment Funds

First ignored, then seen as a cause for concern, and finally considered stabilising agents amid the troubles of the financial tsunami, Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) - state investment vehicles based on balance of payment surpluses - have come under the scrutiny of public opinion with remarkable investments in developed economies, attracting the attention of politicians, scholars and financial operators. Having sponsored some significant Western banks' bailouts, and with the shrinking of economic growth, the bursting of financial and real-estate bubbles and the emphasis on refocusing liquidity on domestic markets, SWFs underwent a phase of retrenchment. Since the second half of 2009, they have adjusted targets and strategies to the changed financial scenario and come back to the stage, proving to be major player in international financial markets.